| 1. |
- de la Fuente, Luis, et al.
(author)
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HTLV infection among young injection and non-injection heroin users in Spain: Prevalence and correlates
- 2006
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In: Journal of Clinical Virology. - : Elsevier. - 1386-6532 .- 1873-5967. ; 35:3, s. 244-249
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundAlthough some studies have described the epidemiology of infection with HIV or hepatitis B and C in young users in Spain – one of the European countries with the highest prevalences – there are no studies of the prevalence of HTLV infection and the most important associated factors.ObjectivesTo evaluate the prevalence and main determinants of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infection in young heroin users (including both injection (IDUs) and non-injection drug users (NIDUs)) recruited outside health care services in three of Spain's principal cities.Study designCross-sectional cohort study. All participants (981) were street-recruited by chain referral procedures between April 2001 and December 2003. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire and dried blood spot samples were collected for serological testing.ResultsNo sample was positive for HTLV-1 and 27 samples were positive for HTLV-2; all of these were found only in Spanish IDUs in the cities of Madrid (17, 6.2%) and Barcelona (10, 3.5%). The only two factors significantly associated with HTLV infection in the logistic regression analysis were HIV infection (OR 5.7; 95% CI 2.2–14.8) and having injected in the last 30 days (OR 6.5; 95% CI 1.4–29.8). Having been in prison (OR 2.4; 95% CI 0.9–6.4) and HCV infection (OR 3.8; 95% CI 0.5–30.7), which were strongly and significantly associated in the bivariate analysis, were no longer significant in the logistic analysis. Almost the same variables were selected in the tree analysis, in which subjects could be classified into three groups: high prevalence (28.5%, HIV+ and HBV+ who had injected in the last 30 days), medium prevalence (17.8%) and low (<3%) or zero prevalence (HIV−, HCV− and HBV−).ConclusionsHTLV-1 was not detected among young Spanish heroin users. HTLV-2 was not found in NIDUs (perhaps due to the low rate of sexual transmission); it was found only in IDUs from Madrid and Barcelona, but not in those from Seville. Its prevalence is very low and the main correlates of infection were HIV infection and injection as the usual route of heroin administration.
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| 2. |
- Gustavsson, Inger, et al.
(author)
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Comparison between the Hybrid Capture 2 and the hpVIR real-time PCR for detection of human papillomavirus in women with ASCUS or low grade dysplasia
- 2009
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In: Journal of Clinical Virology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1386-6532 .- 1873-5967. ; 45:2, s. 85-89
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is an important part of cervical carcinoma screening, and the most widely used assay for detection of HPV is Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2). OBJECTIVES: We compare the HC2 with the real-time PCR hpVIR assay for detection of HPV in follow-up smears of 398 women diagnosed with atypical squamous cells of unknown significance (ASCUS) or low grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 1) in their initial smear. STUDY DESIGN: The two assays target the same set of high-risk (HR) HPVs with exception of HPV68. hpVIR identify individual or groups of HPV types as well as their viral load, while HC2 identify HR HPVs without specification of type. RESULTS: 34% (131/391) of the women were positive with HC2 and 45% (175/391) with hpVIR. 16% (63/391) were positive only with hpVIR and among those with cytology available 6% (3/52) had a CIN 2. The 3% (13/391) of women positive only with HC2 either contained low-risk HPVs or copy numbers below the cut-off for the hpVIR assay. CONCLUSION: The hpVIR assay has a similar sensitivity and specificity as HC2, but hpVIR detect a higher frequency of high-risk HPV infections.
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| 3. |
- Gustavsson, Inger, et al.
(author)
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Use of FTA card for dry collection, transportation and storage of cervical cell specimen to detect high-risk HPV
- 2009
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In: Journal of Clinical Virology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1386-6532 .- 1873-5967. ; 46:2, s. 112-116
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The FTA elute micro card, which enable the collection, transport, and archiving of DNA could be an attractive alternative to a liquid based collection system for detection of human papillomavirus (HPV). OBJECTIVES: To develop a method based on the FTA elute micro card for dry collection of cervical epithelial cell samples, suitable for subsequent PCR-based HPV testing. STUDY DESIGN: The method was evaluated by a comparison of the DNA collected by cytobrush and the regular FTA elute micro card from 50 cervical cell samples. The method was then used to estimate the DNA amount in 1040 samples applied to the indicating FTA elute micro card. RESULT: The agreement in HPV positivity between the cytobrush and FTA samples (94%) was excellent (kappa=0.88, 95% CI 0.748-1). All the 1040 samples on the indicating FTA card had sufficient amounts of genomic DNA (>10 copies of a single copy gene) to be suitable for HPV typing. In 53 of the 1040 women the day in the menstrual cycle was noted, and the copy number during follicular phase day 9-13 was found to be statistically significantly lower than for the other three stages in the menstrual cycle (day 4-8, 14, >14) and during menopause. CONCLUSION: The indicating FTA elute micro card represents a suitable medium for collection of cervical cell samples, although follow-up studies are needed to verify the detection of low frequency HPV types.
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| 4. |
- Johansen, Kari, et al.
(author)
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Norovirus strains belonging to the GII.4 genotype dominate as a cause of nosocomial outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis in Sweden 1997-2005 - Arrival of new variants is associated with large nation-wide epidemics
- 2008
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In: Journal of Clinical Virology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1386-6532 .- 1873-5967. ; 42:2, s. 129-134
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: In recent years an increase of the incidence of nosocomial outbreaks caused by noroviruses has been observed throughout Sweden, with high peaks noted in the winter seasons 2002/2003 and 2004/2005, respectively. Objectives: To phylogenetically characterize norovirus strains causing nosocomial outbreaks from 1997 to 2005 and estimate the impact of norovirus-like disease on the Swedish health care system during the peak season 2002/2003 when a new variant of norovirus occurred. Study design: Stool samples from 115 randomly selected nosocomial outbreaks occurring during 1997-2005 throughout Sweden were studied by RT-PCR and sequencing. In addition, to investigate the impact on the health-care system, a questionnaire was distributed to infection control units (n = 90) serving all Swedish hospitals, nursing homes and other health-care institutions during the largest epidemic of nosocomial outbreaks. Results: Sequencing of 279 nucleotides of the norovirus RNA polymerase gene in stools containing norovirus RNA showed that strains belonging to the GII.4 genotype dominated. Each of the two large epidemics was due to a new variant within this cluster. The questionnaire revealed that 30,000-35,000 episodes of nosocomial norovirus-like infections occurred in 80 of 82 major Swedish hospitals affected in 2002/2003. Conclusion: New norovirus variants within the cluster GGII.4 may have a major impact on the health-care system. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 5. |
- Leparc-Goffart, Isabelle, et al.
(author)
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Development and validation of real-time one-step reverse transcription-PCR for the detection and typing of dengue viruses
- 2009
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In: Journal of Clinical Virology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1386-6532 .- 1873-5967. ; 45:1, s. 61-66
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background:Dengue virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, causes every year 50 million cases of dengue fever. A standardize method for early diagnosis is still needed for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological studies.Objective: To develop and validate for sensitivity, specificity, linearity and precision real-time one-step RT-PCR for the detection of dengue viruses.Study design: Multiple alignments of dengue virus sequence for each serotype were done and used to develop five systems of real-time RT-PCR to detect all dengue virus strains and then identify the serotype. These systems were validated on synthetic RNA transcripts for specificity, sensitivity, precision and linearity and then applied on series of human samples.Results: The specificity of each system was determined by sequence alignments and experimentally tested on different flaviviruses. Methods precision and linearity were statistically validated. Each of these systems allowed the detection of less than one infectious particle and was able to detect and serotype quickly dengue virus in human samples where infectious virus cannot be isolated anymore.Conclusions: These systems are valuable tools for dengue virus diagnosis and epidemiological studies. Standardization and validation of these methods allow an easy transfer to diagnostic laboratories.
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| 6. |
- Nenonen, Nancy P, 1943, et al.
(author)
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Molecular analysis of an oyster-related norovirus outbreak.
- 2009
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In: Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-5967. ; 45:2, s. 105-8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Contaminated raw oysters were implicated in a severe outbreak of norovirus (NoV) gastroenteritis affecting 30 restaurant guests. OBJECTIVES: To define the outbreak source by using molecular methods to characterize NoV strains detected in patient and oyster samples. STUDY DESIGN: Molecular epidemiological studies based on nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of patient and oyster NoV strains, and comparison to background dataset. RESULTS: NoV genotype (G) I.1 was detected in the one patient stool analyzed by in-house TaqMan real time RT-PCR and classical nested RT-PCR targeting NoV RNA-dependent polymerase (RdRp, 285 nt), and by nested RT-PCR targeting RdRp-capsid-poly(A)-3' (3085 nt). Patient strain showed >or=99% similarity (285 nt) with three NoV strains detected in two of five oysters examined by classical nested RT-PCR (RdRp). A third oyster tested positive for NoV GII.3. Phylogenetic analysis showed clustering of patient and oyster strains related to this outbreak with GI.1 strains from previous local outbreaks, and mussel studies. CONCLUSIONS: Sequence data revealed >or=99% similarity (285 nt) between NoV GI.1 strains detected in patient stool and suspect oysters, linking the contaminated oysters to the outbreak. Identification of human NoV GI and GII strains in oysters indicated contamination of human fecal origin, presumably from inappropriate storage in the harbor. Comparative long-fragment analysis of the patient strain revealed 99% similarity (3085 nt) with NoV GI.1 strains detected in previous outbreaks and environmental mussel studies from West Sweden, 87% with M87661 (Norwalk68) and 96% with L23828 (SRSV-KY-89/89/J). These results indicated considerable genomic stability of NoV GI.1 strains over time.
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